Brass alloy comprising ceramic alumina nanoparticles and having improved machinability

Abstract

The present invention refers to a brass alloy, wherein Al 2 O 3 is present in the alloy in the form of ceramic nanoparticles. Furthermore the invention refers to a method for production of the brass alloy.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A brass alloy comprising Cu, Zn, 0 through 0.2% by weight Pb and 0.04 through 0.06% by weight Al 2 O 3 , wherein Al 2 O 3  is present in the alloy in the form of ceramic nanoparticles. 
     
     
       2. A brass alloy according to  claim 1  that further comprises As, and optional additives of Sn, Fe, Al, Ni, Mn and/or Si. 
     
     
       3. A brass alloy according to  claim 1  comprising 61.5 through 64.2% by weight Cu, 35.6 through 37.4% by weight Zn, 0 through 0.1% by weight Pb, and 0.04 through 0.06% by weight Al 2 O 3 . 
     
     
       4. A brass alloy according to  claim 1  that further comprises 0 through 0.15% by weight As. 
     
     
       5. A brass alloy according to  claim 1  comprising 61.5 through 63.5% by weight Cu, 35.6 through 37.4% by weight Zn, 0 through 0.1% by weight Pb, 0 through 0.15% by weight Sn, 0 through 0.15% by weight Fe, 0 through 1% by weight Al, 0 through 0.149% by weight Ni, 0 through 0.15% by weight Mn, 0 through 0.03% by weight Si, 0 through 0.15% by weight As, 0 through 0.02% by weight P, 0 through 0.02% by weight Sb, 0 through 0.0007% by weight B, and 0.04 through 0.06% by weight Al 2 O 3 , wherein Al 2 O 3  is present in the alloy in the form of ceramic nanoparticles. 
     
     
       6. A brass alloy according to  claim 5  wherein Al is present in a concentration of 0 through 0.05% by weight or 0.45 through 0.7% by weight. 
     
     
       7. A brass alloy according to  claim 1  comprising 61.5 through 63.5% by weight Cu, 0 through 0.1% by weight Pb, 0 through 0.1% by weight Sn, 0 through 0.1% by weight Fe, 0 through 0.1% by weight Ni, 0 through 0.01% by weight Mn, 0 through 0.03% by weight Si, 0.06 through 0.15% by weight As, 0.0003 through 0.0007% by weight B, and 0.05% by weight Al 2 O 3 , wherein the sum of Sn, Fe, Ni, Mn and Si in the brass alloy is maximally 0.2% by weight, and wherein the rest % by weight of the alloy comprises Zn. 
     
     
       8. A brass alloy according to  claim 7  comprising 63.0% by weight Cu, 36.6% by weight Zn, 0 through 0.1% by weight Pb, 0.1% by weight As, 0.0005% by weight B, and 0.05% by weight Al 2 O 3 . 
     
     
       9. A brass alloy according to  claim 1  comprising 62.5 through 63.5% by weight Cu, 35.6 through 37.4% by weight Zn, 0 through 0.1% by weight Pb, 0 through 0.15% by weight Sn, 0 through 0.15% by weight Fe, 0 through 0.05% by weight or 0.45 through 0.7% by weight Al, 0 through 0.149% by weight Ni, 0 through 0.15% by weight Mn, 0 through 0.03% by weight Si, 0 through 0.02% by weight P, and 0.04 through 0.06% by weight Al 2 O 3 . 
     
     
       10. A brass alloy according to  claim 9  comprising 63.1% by weight Cu, 36.7% by weight Zn, 0 through 0.1% by weight Pb, and 0.05% by weight Al 2 O 3 ; and further comprising 0.04% by weight As. 
     
     
       11. A brass alloy according to  claim 1 , wherein said nanoparticles of Al 2 O 3  are spherical. 
     
     
       12. A brass alloy according to  claim 1 , wherein said nanoparticles of Al 2 O 3  are artefacts. 
     
     
       13. A brass alloy according to  claim 1 , wherein said nanoparticles of Al 2 O 3  have a diameter of 100 through 1000 nm. 
     
     
       14. A brass alloy according to  claim 13 , wherein said nanoparticles of Al 2 O 3  have a diameter of 500 nm. 
     
     
       15. A method of production of a brass alloy according to  claim 1 , wherein that nanoparticles of Al 2 O 3  are added at the start of the melting process as such to a melt bath comprising brass scrap, said brass scrap in the melt bath comprises the quantity of Cu, Zn, Pb, Sn, Fe, Al, Ni, Mn, Si, As, Sb, B and/or P of the brass alloy according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       16. A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the melt bath has a temperature of 1040° C. 
     
     
       17. A method according to  claim 15 , comprising the steps of:
 i. adding brass scrap to be melted in a furnace up to ⅓ of the desired volume, 
 ii. adding ceramic nanoparticles as a whole, 
 iii. optionally mixing by stirring in the furnace, and 
 iv. adding the rest of the brass scrap until the desired volume is obtained. 
 
     
     
       18. Use of the brass alloy according to  claim 1  for manufacturing bars, profiles or blooms. 
     
     
       19. Use of the brass alloy according to  claim 1  for manufacturing screws, nuts, water armatures, sanitary armatures, lock details, electric components, ornamental objects, oil armatures, gas armatures, or for manufacturing different components of the details applied for the electric, engineering and car industry. 
     
     
       20. Articles comprising the brass alloy according to  claim 1 .